Patents Represented by Attorney Whitham, Curtis, Christofferson & Cook P.C.
  • Patent number: 7601646
    Abstract: Manufacturing yield of integrated circuits having differentiated areas such as array and support areas of a memory is improved by reducing height/step height difference between structures in the respective differentiated areas and is particularly effective in conjunction with top-oxide-early (TOE) and top-oxide-late processes. A novel planarization technique avoids damage of active devices, isolation structures and the like due to scratching, chipping or dishing which is particularly effective to improve manufacturing yield using TON processes and also using TOE and TOL processes when average height/step height is substantially equalized. Alternative mask materials such as polysilicon may also be used to simplify and/or improve control of processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Deok-kee Kim, Ramachandra Divakaruni, Hiroyuki Akatsu, George Worth, Jay Strane, Byeong Kim
  • Patent number: 7595010
    Abstract: Adding at least one non-silicon precursor (such as a germanium precursor, a carbon precursor, etc.) during formation of a silicon nitride, silicon oxide, silicon oxynitride or silicon carbide film improves the deposition rate and/or makes possible tuning of properties of the film, such as tuning of the stress of the film. Also, in a doped silicon oxide or doped silicon nitride or other doped structure, the presence of the dopant may be used for measuring a signal associated with the dopant, as an etch-stop or otherwise for achieving control during etching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ashima B. Chakravarti, Judson Holt, Kevin K. Chan, Sadanand V. Deshpande, Rangarajan Jagannathan
  • Patent number: 7583065
    Abstract: An active linear regulator circuit in parallel with a filter capacitor of a switching voltage regulator injects current to a load only when the switching regulator and capacitor cannot supply adequate current to follow high frequency load transients in a manner which is compatible with adaptive voltage positioning (AVP) requirements. control of current injection and determination of the insufficiency of current from the switching regulator and capacitors is achieved by impedance matching of the linear regulator to the switching regulator. The linear regulator thus operates at relatively low current and duty cycle to limit power dissipation therein. By matching impedances and increasing the bandwidth of the switching regulator, filter capacitor requirements can be reduced to the point of being met entirely by packaging and/or on-die capacitors which may be placed close to or at the point of load to reduce parasitic inductance, as can the linear regulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Ming Xu, Yuancheng Ren, Fred C. Lee, Andrew P. Schmit
  • Patent number: 7579745
    Abstract: A rotor is operable to rotate in a rotating direction, and is provided with five teeth that define five slots therebetween at regular intervals in the rotating direction. A pair of arc-shaped magnets surrounds the rotor, and faces each other through the rotor. A value of a circumferential angle between two adjacent slots with respect to an axis of the rotor is defined as a. A value of a circumferential angle between opposite end edges of an inner surface of the magnet in a circumferential direction of the magnet, which faces the rotor, with respect to the axis of the rotor is defined as b. The value of b falls within a range from 23 to 25 when the value of a is assumed as 12.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kensuke Yamada, Yuuki Takahashi, Masami Ito, Takeo Miyajima
  • Patent number: 7579373
    Abstract: Pro-drug forms of linear polyamine-bridged platinum compounds and methods for their production and use are provided. The polyamine-bridge portion of the compounds is based on spermine or spermidine, and the central amines of the polyamine-bridge are chemically bonded to labile blocking groups. The presence of the blocking groups serves to minimize the toxicity of the Pt compounds upon administration. Selective removal of the blocking groups and release of the active, unblocked species occurs upon exposure to suitable environmental conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Virginia Commonwealth University
    Inventors: Nicholas Farrell, Alexander Hegmans, John D. Roberts
  • Patent number: 7578073
    Abstract: This invention relates to an appliance (1) for the removal of fluids and/or solids from a mixture of particulate materials with a container (2) that constitutes a ring-shaped processing space (20) with a cylindrical outer contour with devices for the charging and discharging of the particulate material into and out of the processing space (20) and with a fan device (5) for supplying a fluidization agent from underneath into the processing space (20) as well as devices (6) for the processing of the fluidization agent in the flow direction in front of the fan device, whereby in the processing space (20), cells (15, 16, 17) are formed extending in the vertical direction where one cell constitutes a discharge cell (17) through which there is no fluidization agent flow from underneath where at the lower end of the discharge cell the discharge device is arranged and where another cell (15) is provided with a charge device and where the cells (15, 16, 17) are open at their upper ends in order to facilitate transport
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Braunschweigische Maschinenbauanstalt AG
    Inventors: Lothar Krell, Gerald Caspers
  • Patent number: 7576137
    Abstract: A polyurethane molding is composed of at least two different polyurethane materials, namely of a polyurethane gel and a polyurethane foam. The foam and the gel are arranged in layers one above another so that both materials act together as spring or damping element with respect to a load in the transverse direction. These moldings may preferably be used as seat cushions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Technogel GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Peter Gansen, Massimo Losio
  • Patent number: 7571598
    Abstract: Preheating of fuel and injection into a plasma torch plume fro adjacent the plasma torch plume provides for only ignition with reduced delay but improved fuel-air mixing and fuel atomization as well as combustion reaction enhancement. Heat exchange also reduced erosion of the anode of the plasma torch. Fuel mixing atomization, fuel mixture distribution enhancement and combustion reaction enhancement are improved by unsteady plasma torch energization, integral formation of the heat exchanger, fuel injection nozzle and plasma torch anode in a more compact, low-profile arrangement which is not intrusive on a highspeed air flow with which the invention is particularly effective and further enhanced by use of nitrogen as a feedstock material and inclusion of high pressure gases in the fuel to cause effervescence during injection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Walter F. O'Brien, Matthew C. Billingsley, Darius D. Sanders, Joseph A. Schetz
  • Patent number: 7569219
    Abstract: A recombinant double stranded RNA (dsRNA) phage expresses dsRNA-encoded genes in eukaryote cells. Recombinant dsRNA phage are useful for the expression of dsRNA expression cassettes encoding passenger genes, such as, but not restricted to, vaccine antigens, bioactive proteins, immunoregulatory proteins, antisense RNAs, and catalytic RNAs in eukaryotic cells or tissues. Methods are provided to deliver recombinant dsRNA phage to eukaryotic cells and tissues, either by direct administration, formulated in lipid or polylactide-coglycolide, or by utilizing a bacterial vaccine vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute
    Inventor: David Hone
  • Patent number: 7568207
    Abstract: A time slot is provided for each terminal unit or cable drop of a signal distribution system in a repeated sequence to communicate detected conditions “upstream”. The time slots are defined in accordance with a time base responsive to broadcast time signals. An identification of each terminal unit is transmitted from a directional coupler corresponding to the terminal unit or cable drop after latching an output of a condition detector responsive to detection of a condition by a sequence of tones or tone pairs, preferably using circuits ubiquitous in the telecommunications industry. A printer is provided for each channel at a central facility and the transmitting terminal unit is identified in response to another time base operating synchronously with the time base defining the time slots and assigning the time slots to respective terminal units. Provision is made for synchronization of counters, error checking and control of polling frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Inventor: Warren L. Braun
  • Patent number: 7567600
    Abstract: A laser diode driver for driving laser light sources of a N-wavelength optical pickup capable of recording on and playing N types of optical discs by using N laser beams having different wavelengths, the N-wavelength optical pickup including first to N-th laser diodes for emitting first to N-th laser beams as the laser light sources and one front monitor for monitoring intensity of the first to N-th laser beams, the laser diode driver comprising a current/voltage conversion amplifier for converting a monitor current monitored by the front monitor into a monitor voltage and outputting the monitor voltage as a monitor output signal, wherein N is an integer which is two or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisamichi Sekine, Yoshihiro Okuyama, Masahiro Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 7566828
    Abstract: A power source device is provided which is capable of charging a secondary cell in a stable manner even in an environment in which power generated by a solar cell varies due to changes in sunlight intensity and/or ambient temperatures. By power generated by a solar cell module, an electric double-layer capacitor is charged and, by using a charging voltage of the electric double-layer capacitor, a booster-type DC-DC (Direct Current-Direct Current) converter is driven. A charge on/off controlling circuit detects the voltage of the electric double-layer capacitor and, when the voltage exceeds a high level threshold voltage, keeps a charge controlling signal (output signal from a terminal) in an active mode and performs a charge starting operation and, after that, when the voltage of the electric double-layer capacitor reaches a low level threshold value, holds the charge controlling signal in a non-active mode and performs a charge stopping operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: NEC Tokin Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Sasaki
  • Patent number: 7565163
    Abstract: The receive power of uplink signals in a CDMA mobile communication system is measured by prohibiting a mobile station from transmitting an uplink signal including a frame over a first channel during a predetermined transmission prohibition period, and measuring a receive power of uplink signals at a base station transmitted from each of the mobile stations located in a cell during the prohibition period. Another method of measuring the receive power includes measuring a first receive power of uplink signals at a base station from each mobile station located in a cell, and measuring each second receive power of uplink signal including a frame only over a first channel transmitted from each mobile station, and then calculating a total receive power of uplink signals excluding frames over the first channel by subtracting respective second receive powers from the first receive power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Takayuki Kondo
  • Patent number: 7563866
    Abstract: Modular antigen transporter molecules (MAT molecules), which are used as vaccines and for the treatment of allergies, include three modules: a translocation module which brings about transport of the MAT molecule into the interior of the cell; a targeting module which directs the MAT molecule to intracellular organelles involved in antigen processing and loading; and an antigen module which contains an allergen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: ImVisioN GmbH
    Inventors: Norbert Lamping, Reto Crameri, Sabine Fluckiger, Isabelle Daigle
  • Patent number: 7560482
    Abstract: Compounds and methods for the inhibition of anti-malarial target aspartyl protease plasmepsins (e.g. Plasmepsin I, Plasmepsin II, Plasmepsin IV and HAP) are provided. The compounds are based on allophenylnorstatine substituted at positions R1-R4, such that R1 is isoquinoline, carboxyl, naphtalene, phenyl, phenol, benzene, an amino acid, and derivatives thereof; R2 and R3 are aliphatic groups; and R4 is indan, naphthalene, benzylamine, phenyl, phenol, cyclopentane, tert-butylamine, or derivatives thereof. The compounds may be used to inhibit Plasmepsin II, to kill malarial parasites, and to treat malaria in a patient. Certain of the substituted allophenylnorstatine-based compounds also exhibit inhibitory activity against Cathepsin D.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: The Johns Hopkins University
    Inventors: Ernesto Freire, Azin Nezami, Yoshiaki Kiso
  • Patent number: 7560912
    Abstract: An active linear regulator circuit in parallel with a filter capacitor of a switching voltage regulator injects current to a load only when the switching regulator and capacitor cannot supply adequate current to follow high frequency load transients in a manner which is compatible with adaptive voltage positioning (AVP) requirements. control of current injection and determination of the insufficiency of current from the switching regulator and capacitors is achieved by impedance matching of the linear regulator to the switching regulator. The linear regulator thus operates at relatively low current and duty cycle to limit power dissipation therein. By matching impedances and increasing the bandwidth of the switching regulator, filter capacitor requirements can be reduced to the point of being met entirely by packaging and/or on-die capacitors which may be placed close to or at the point of load to reduce parasitic inductance, as can the linear regulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Ming Xu, Yuancheng Ren, Fred C. Lee, Andrew P. Schmit
  • Patent number: 7560536
    Abstract: Ipomoeassin compounds derived from morning glory plant material (especially Ipomoea sp. from Suriname) are useful as anti-cancer agents. The novel compounds also are useful for treating neurodegenerative disorders (such as Alzheimer's disease) in human patients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: David G. I. Kingston, Shugeng Cao
  • Patent number: 7561038
    Abstract: In a remote monitoring system, a supervision terminal (37) monitors the status of the communication link (32, 34, 36) between the supervision terminal and each of a plurality of remote terminals (33) connected to the supervision terminal via a data network (35). The remote terminals may be used to emulate a line interface for monitor devices such as fire alarms (31), while providing continual assurance of the integrity of the link between the supervision terminal and the alarm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: UHS Systems Pty Limited
    Inventors: Ron Johan, James Barlow, Joe Moldovan
  • Patent number: 7555788
    Abstract: The invention relates to an integral helmet comprising a shock resistant helmet shell (1) which covers the top part of the head to the neck and the ear area of a user, defines a visor opening (3) at lower and top edges and is complimented by the chin area defining the lower side of the visor opening in such a way that a slip opening (19) which totally encompasses the neck of the helmet user is formed, wherein the chin area is connected to the helmet shell (1) which upwardly pivots around a horizontal axis of rotation for enlarging the slip opening (19). The aim of said invention is to develop a light identically safe helmet. For this purpose, the chin area comprises a chin element (8) which is connected to a lateral area (4) of the shell (1) in such a way that it is pivotable around a rotatable joint having a substantially horizontal axis in order to increase the slip opening (19).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Schuberth GmbH
    Inventor: Oliver Schimpf
  • Patent number: 7557215
    Abstract: Anthraquinone compounds of the general formula (I) or a salt thereof (Formula I) in which R1 to R4 are each selected from the group consisting of H, C1-4 alkyl, X1, —NHR0N (R5)2 in which R0 is a C1-12 alkanediyl and each R5 is H or optionally substituted C1-4 alkyl, and a group of formula (II) in which at least one of R6, R7 and R8 is selected from X2, and X2 substituted C1-4 alkyl and any others are H or C1-4 alkyl; R9 is selected from H, C1-4 alkyl, X2 and X2 substituted C1-4 alkyl; m is 0 or 1; n is 1 or 2; X1 is a halogen atom, a hydroxyl group, a C1-6 alkoxyl group, an aryloxy group or an acyloxy group; and X2 is a halogen atom, a hydroxyl group, a C1-6 alkoxyl group, an aryloxy group or an acyloxy group; provided that at least one of R1 to R4 is a group of formula (II). The N-oxides are useful prodrugs which are selectively bioreduced in hypoxic tumours to the corresponding cyclic amine derivatives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Somanta Limited
    Inventors: Laurence Hylton Patterson, Klaus Pors, Paul Henry Teesdale-Spittle